Valentinas Podvezko

Evaluating the alternative solutions of wall insulation by multicriteria methods

Abstract The economic effect of buildings’ renovation largely depends on implementation of energy saving methods and devices. A very high economic effect is achieved by wall insulation. In this respect, it is even higher than the replacement of windows. The alternative solutions of wall insulation of buildings differ in the materials used, labour expenditure and other aspects. The cost of renovation depends on the solutions made. The criteria describing the available wall insulation alternatives may have different values. Moreover, they may change in different directions, i.e. a higher value of some criteria denotes a better state, while for others they mean a worse situation. In this environment, a compromise variant is required, which can be found by multicriteria evaluation methods. To reduce the effect of various methods on calculation results, it can be recommended to assess the object (or phenomenon) considered by several different methods, with a subsequent determination of the average estimate val...

Evaluating the changes in economic and social development of Lithuanian counties by multiple criteria methods

Abstract Under the conditions of the countrys economy restructurization, the differences between economic and social development of various regions are becoming more prominent. To smooth these differences, a number of scientific and practical problems associated with the concepts of a region, regional policy and its aims, determination of the boundaries of a region and evaluation of its development, etc., should be thoroughly investigated. To solve such complicated problems, multicriteria evaluation methods have been recently used, which could take into consideration the major aspects of economic and social development of the regions, including the environmental problems, as well as multidimensional character of the criteria, different directions of their changing and significances. Quantitative evaluation of social and economic regions development allows us to determine the changes, taking place in this development. This, in turn, shows the effectiveness of the EU structural funds, national programmes ...

APPLICATION OF AHP TECHNIQUE

Recently, the use of multicriteria quantitative evaluation methods for solving social and economic problems has grown considerably. One of two major components of quantitative multicriteria evaluation methods strongly influencing the evaluation results is associated with the criteria weights. In practice, the criteria weights are determined in assessing the economic development of the state and its regions, the commercial activity and strategic potential of enterprises, the effectiveness of particular investment projects, etc. Several theoretical and practical methods of determining the significance (weight) of criteria by experts are known. Pairwise comparison of criteria is widely applied, and the most well‐known, widely applied and mathematically grounded technique is the so‐called Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). However, the application of this method is limited because of a great number of evaluation criteria, contradicting expert estimates and incompatible matrices obtained. In the present paper, the application of AHP technique to more complicated cases is considered and some algorithms are offered.

Evaluating the effect of state aid to business by multicriteria methods

One of the forms of state intervention in market development is state aid (subsidies) to private sector enterprises. Over the period of 2004--2006, a great part of the EU aid was granted to business in Lithuania through the EU structural funds. State aid is a complicated phenomenon. It may have several aims, with none of them being dominant. The effects of this aid may also be varied and hardly described by a single criterion or indicator. Therefore, multiple criteria evaluation methods can be used to compare the aid to various businesses and to determine its effect on their development objectively. The analysis of state subsidies to enterprises based on these methods allowed us to state that the aid had the greatest effect on the development of projects in the areas of production, research, experiments and education. The most influencing factor is aid intensity (the more intensive the aid, the greater the effect), while the best ratios of investments to the effect obtained was found in the area of educational projects, followed by research, experimental and production projects. The aid to enterprises providing services was the least effective. The results obtained in multicriteria evaluation of state aid to business show that these methods are well suited to the analysis of this phenomenon, providing an objective view of the picture.

MULTICRITERIA EVALUATION OF LITHUANIAN BANKS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THEIR RELIABILITY FOR CLIENTS

In recent years, efforts have been made to rank banks according to their reliability. However, the methods used for this purpose are not accurate. The analysis shows that reliability of banks is a complex phenomenon which can only be described by a set of criteria. The task is complicated by the fact that the criteria used have various dimensions as well as being oppositely directed. To solve the above problems, multicriteria evaluation methods, allowing the values of all the criteria of different dimensions and changeability to be integrated into a single generalized quantity, may be used.

Multicriteria graphical‐analytical evaluation of the financial state of construction enterprises

Abstract Complex evaluation of the effectiveness of financial activities of construction enterprises may be made by multicriteria methods. As a result of calculations, the priority order of the considered objects can be established. A more thorough analysis reveals that the above methods do not take into consideration the effect of the components of a particular evaluation method on the result obtained. This can be achieved only if multicriteria evaluation is based on graphical‐analytical approach. In this case, the reasons why some of the compared alternatives get lower ranks than others can be clearly demonstrated and some effective measures can be provided for improving the situation.

Research on the quality of passenger transportation by railway

Abstract The transportation of passengers by railroads is a dynamic process because setting, wherein the process takes place, undergoes continuous changes observed at technical, technological and transportation process planning levels. Every passenger has different needs and aims and can afford different possibilities. Therefore, the conception of quality differs in each individual case. In order to be able to plan a railway trip process in a proper manner, it is important to become familiarized with passenger needs and preferences and eliminate any existing deficiencies. To this end, it is reasonable to conduct passenger surveys. The paper provides an affinity diagram of railway transportation quality factors, the elements whereof correspond to the structure of the survey questionnaire. For determining the level of the quantitative significance (weight) of indicators, there was applied the method of Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) developed and introduced by the American scientist T. Saaty. The scope of...

Some problems of evaluating multicriteria decision methods

This paper considers the constraints imposed on the values of particular criteria used in calculations by multicriteria methods of evaluating the alternatives in decision making. Simple but effective methods including sum of ranks and geometrical mean of the criterion value are analysed. The transformation and normalisation of non-positive data, their dependence on shift constants as well as stability of the transformed data are considered. The comparative analysis of the simplest multicriteria method Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and more sophisticated techniques is performed. The calculations made by applying simple and complex (TOPSIS, VIKOR) methods have shown good agreement of the results obtained.

SUDĖTINGŲ DYDŽIŲ KOMPLEKSINIS VERTINIMAS

Any social and economic phenomenon is complex by nature. For example, social and economic development of the state or its particular regions, enterprise commercial activities and strategic potential, as well as comparison of various investment projects, etc. belong to the category of complex phenomena. They cannot be described by a single value or criterion because it is hardly possible to find a property integrating the essential features of such phenomena. Recently, multicriteria methods have been effectively used for evaluating complex quantities. The criteria describing the considered processes or objects, as well as the criteria values and relative significances (weights) make the basis of quantitative multicriteria evaluation methods. Irrespective of the area of investigation, the analysis of a complex phenomenon (quantity) is carried out in several steps, including statement of the research problem at the initial stage and determination of the integrated value describing a particular phenomenon at the final stage. Many investigations addressed the above problems, however, further research is still needed.

Assessing the financial state of construction enterprises

Abstract The financial state of construction enterprises can be described by a set of criteria evaluating their commercial activity from various perspectives. The most important of them are solvency and financial risk, including the ratio of current assets to current liabilities, the ratio of current assets minus stocks to current liabilities, the ratio of equity to liabilities, the ratio of assets to liabilities and the ratio of current assets to equity. These values indicate how efficiently various resources, i. e. finances, materials, manpower, etc. are used at an enterprise. The criteria characterizing the financial state of an enterprise from various perspectives may change in different directions. Moreover, these criteria are multidimensional. Therefore, a problem of finding a unified approach to describe this conflicting situation arises. The particular criteria describe the particular aspects of a complex object. To obtain an integrated estimate of a considered object, multicriteria evaluation met...